Moonlit Desert
by solitaryblaze
Summary: A Gerudo is put in charge of the whole fortress while Nabooru is away. In the cells are four carpenter men. What happens when Link arrives? R+R, please.


(disclaimer: I do not own Zelda, Nintendo does. I do own Saiyna, Krina, Ninoa, Tula, and Ugen, though. Please get my permission by emailing me at solitaryblaze@yahoo.com or writing me a review to reprint this story. And please give me constructive criticism! R+Ring is a must!)  
  
  
  
  
  
Moonlit Desert  
  
  
  
Nabooru sat atop the highest point of the fortress. Her amber eyes shone in the moonlight, and the warm breeze gently lifted her fiery red hair. It was always hot and sticky in the valley. She noticed me gazing up at her from melon colored eyes while I took post sitting on the huge rock in front of the fortress. My ponytail of light orange hair stuck to the back of my neck.  
  
"Saiyna, come. Come sit with me up here." She said expressionlessly. I obeyed and in moments had scaled the towering stone shelter. I bowed to her before seating myself at her side.  
  
"You realize you are directly under me; third in command to the entire fortress, and every one Gerudo here?" she questioned, not even turning to look at me.  
  
"Yes." I answered dutifully. Nabooru now turned to look me fully in my eyes.  
  
"I must leave here before the sun rises. My duty as the leader of the Gerudo calls me to the Colossus. I shall not be returning for one whole moon. During that time, you shall rule the fortress. Keep it in order while I am away. Can I trust you with this responsibility?" she asked me. I was firm in my decision.  
  
"Of course you can, Nabooru. I will do everything in my power to keep the fortress running orderly until your return." I told her. Nabooru's lips cracked upward in a slight smile.  
  
"I thank you. If you ever, for any reason, need my assistance, sing this song. It shall transport you to my refuge." With that, Nabooru began to sing. A slow, lilting melody escaped her lips. It was pleasantly haunting, ringing out clear in the still, summer night. It chilled me to the bone, yet warmed and freed my thoughts. I recognized it immediately as the Requiem of Spirit. The moonlight around Nabooru began to glow even stronger. When I blinked, she was no longer there. It was only I, all by myself, sitting upon the place where all my fellow thieves lay in slumber.  
  
I crept down the vines and walked along the second story pathway, facing the wind. It danced across my face, giving me relief from the sticky air around me. I entered the shadowed doorway of my room and lay down on a bundle of straw and hand woven sheets. Tomorrow I shall have to announce my temporary authority to the rest, I thought, before drifting into a dreamless sleep.  
  
A cucco crowing woke me in the morning. The sun shone slightly into the doorway, making a rectangle of light on the stone floor. I sat up and looked into the piece of glass hanging on a wall that served as a mirror. I stood up and washed my tan face in the stone basin full of cold water. It woke me up a little better. Pulling out red pants and a violet top from a basket of clothes, I quickly dressed in my usual garb. I brushed my long hair and put it in the usual ponytail.  
  
Leaving my cubicle, I could tell that at only six fifteen in the morning, the sun was already beating down heat upon the sand. I squinted my eyes so I could see. The Gerudo guards were on morning duty and I could smell breakfast cooking in the kitchen room. Seeing a woman dressed in white near the desert gate, I signaled her to come. My messenger saw my gesture, and came running. She bowed when she reached me.  
  
"Yes, Mistress Saiyna?" She inquired.  
  
"I want you, as my messenger, to gather every Gerudo on top of the fortress. I have an announcement to make." I told her.  
  
"It shall be done." With that, she ran off again. I watched her for a moment, then turned and climbed to the top of the stone structure myself.  
  
When everyone had gathered, I stood. Dozens of faces turned to me.  
  
"Everyone here knows our top female leader left last night, correct?" I asked. Heads nodded all around me.  
  
"Before she went, the great Nabooru left me in charge of the fortress for an entire moon. I do not want to have to call her back early, so let's not slack on the security. Do I make myself clear?" I questioned.  
  
"Yes, Leader Saiyna!" acknowledged many voices.  
  
"Good! Let's have some breakfast, then we will train!" I shouted.  
  
"Yes, Leader Saiyna!" they yelled again. The Gerudo all filed down to the kitchen. I followed after a moment's pause.  
  
When everyone had eaten a good meal, I put four guards at the entrances, then led them to the training grounds. One by one, they called their horses and ran the ground, attempting to hit targets with arrows, riding like the wind. When every Gerudo had run, I walked to the front of crowd.  
  
"I am very proud to say every Gerudo has passed the run with flying colors. The great Nabooru would be proud!" I said. Cheers went up all around. Suddenly a guard came running.  
  
"Invaders! Great Saiyna! Invaders are endeavoring to infiltrate the fortress!" she screamed, running up the hill towards me. I snapped back around to face the Gerudo.  
  
"Everyone, to your posts, now!" I commanded. Without a single word, every Gerudo went either sprinting or riding at full gallop back to the fortress.  
  
When I reached the fortress, I saw a circle of guards had surrounded four shaking men. The expression in their eyes was total fear. I walked up to them, and two guards parted to let me through. I eyed each one of the men.  
  
"Males." I sneered disgustedly. "What are you doing here? Spying?"  
  
"N-no…we were just looking for jobs here…" one of the men stuttered.  
  
"Liars!" I barked. "Everyone knows that the only job here is thieving, and it goes only to female Gerudo!" I turned to the guards. "Throw these men into the prison chambers." They nodded and took the men away.  
  
"Nabooru shall deal with them when she returns." I muttered.  
  
Twenty-five suns had passed with no other complications. The men had kept quiet in their cells. The Gerudo were taking great runs at the horseback archery range every sun. Yes, Nabooru is going to be very proud of me! I thought to myself gleefully. I was walking outside of the fortress in the evening sun when I heard running footsteps. I ran to the edge of the cliff and saw a tiny person against the horizon, running away.  
  
"Guards! Check the prison!" I shouted. A messenger guard came running to me in a couple minutes.  
  
"Mistress, one of the prisoners has escaped." She said. My face tightened into a frown.  
  
"Increase the security! This will NOT happen again!" I growled. Then I sighed. "Well, at least we still have three more." But how did he get out? Only the guard protecting the cell has the key…I thought. Just then one of the prison guards came crawling out of one of the doorways. Her purple clothes were ripped and bloody. Alarmed, I ran over to her.  
  
"By Din, what happened to you?" I asked.  
  
"I was attacked! A man came at me with a sword. I tried to defend the fortress, but he was too strong. I fled, so I wouldn't be killed. But while I was running, the key dropped out of my pocket. I beg your forgiveness, it was all I could do!" She pleaded frantically. So that's what happened. The man found the key and set the other man free. I thought.  
  
"Okay…" I said slowly. "You know he had a sword, but did you catch any thing else that might help us identify him?" I asked the guard.  
  
"He was wearing green. That's right, he was wearing a green tunic." She said. Hmm, a green tunic…Kokiri! An adult male Kokiri with a sword? There's only one. My king Ganondorf's arch nemesis, I thought.  
  
"Link!" I screamed to the dusk sun. "I'll get you!"  
  
But, when the sun rose the next day, I found that another had escaped. I was absolutely seething with anger. I was pacing around the fortress, cursing at the goddesses. The Gerudo commander under me, Ugen, was sulking in a corner. Little did I know she was scheming a plan against me…  
  
"Ugen! Come over here!" a Gerudo guard called. She walked over to her.  
  
"Did you hear another captive got away with the help of Link?"  
  
"Yeah, I did." she replied. "I, the fourth in command, could've prevented that." she bragged.  
  
"You think?" asked the awed guard.  
  
"Of course! I can't believe the great Nabooru put Saiyna in charge. She can't hold this place together. Maybe, if Nabooru knew about this, she'd disown Saiyna and make me directly under her!" Ugen said.  
  
"Wow, that would be something," said the guard.  
  
"Yes, it would." Ugen snickered as she walked away.  
  
The next day, a Gerudo guard shouting awakened me.  
  
"I caught him! I caught Link!" she yelled happily. I raced out of the fortress and down to the sand. There he was: Link. Several Gerudo held him. His lake blue eyes shone nothing less of malice. I smirked at him.  
  
"So, you thought you could get away with everything, did you?" I asked Link. He surprised me by smiling.  
  
"Actually, I still think I can get away with everything." Angered by this comment, I slapped him across the face. He winced slightly.  
  
"Every man except our great king is inferior. You can do nothing!" I shouted. Stern Gerudo faces nodded all around Link and I.  
  
"Throw him in the highest cell!" I commanded the guards. They took him away immediately.  
  
"Try getting out of that, Link!" I yelled after him.  
  
When the sun rose again, I stretched and walked outside. A Gerudo came running once again.  
  
"Mistress! Link has escaped!"  
  
"What?" I screeched. "What do you know of this?"  
  
"A worker Gerudo went to throw him his rations for the day, and when she peered into the cell, he was nowhere to be found!"  
  
"What about the remaining two prisoners?" I breathed, afraid for the response. The guard relieved me by saying,  
  
"Safe and sound in their own cells, Mistress Saiyna."  
  
"Good. See to it that their prison guards are catered to well. I need them strong." I commanded her. She bowed, and walked away. As I was about to turn, two Gerudo came riding towards me on horses, leading a constrained horse between them. The horse was rolling its eyes and kicking and squealing wildly.  
  
"I see you've thieved a horse." I observed approvingly. The Gerudo on the left, whom I knew as Krina, smiled proudly.  
  
"More than just an ordinary horse. Look closely, my Mistress." I stepped forward. The horse immediately calmed and glared at me menacingly. Looking the horse over, I saw it was a strong rust colored mare with white mane, tail, face, and feather. A gold foil triforce had been heat stamped into the tack. I gasped.  
  
"It is Epona!" The horse whinnied loudly at the sound of her name. "The same horse that was meant for our king." I said, remembering what Ingo the stable hand at Lon Lon Ranch had told me. I continued,  
  
"Epona was the fastest, strongest horse the ranch owned. Who was riding this fine mare?" I demanded. Krina replied with a bowed head,  
  
"It was Link, Mistress Saiyna." My eyes widened angrily.  
  
"That interference has the horse that should have gone to the great King Ganondorf?" Infuriated, I asked,  
  
"So you captured the horse, but what about the man? Tell me what happened." So Krina and her fellow Gerudo, Ninoa, replayed the story.  
  
* flash *  
  
"Halt, Link!" cried Ninoa, riding her horse along side Krina. They shot with arrows at the escaping figure. Across the stretch of land in front of the fortress they stayed with the chase. As Epona attempted to jump the chasm, Krina aimed carefully, and stung the horse on the flank. Neighing shrilly from the sudden pain, Epona stopped short right in front of the canyon chasm, and bucked Link to the river far below.  
  
* flash *  
  
"I will never forget that scream. It faded as Link fell. It faded, then I heard cursing. I heard desperate cursing until only a faint splash could be heard." Krina finished. Ninoa nodded in assent. I was pleased.  
  
"Hopefully he drowned in the river." I commented meanly. The two Gerudo chuckled slightly to themselves.  
  
"What shall we do with the horse?" Ninoa asked. I pondered a moment.  
  
"Tie it up in the small cave on the high cliff, then cut the bridge loose."  
  
"It might starve!" Ninoa cried.  
  
"True." I mused. "We should keep that horse for the king. Fine, don't cut the bridge. If it's tied, it can't get away, right?"  
  
"Right." Krina told me.  
  
"Give Epona ample hay each sun. Assign the best rider among us to train her every sun, also. I'll have that horse in her best shape until Nabooru arrives. Then, we hand Epona over to her." Krina and Ninoa nodded their approval. The pair squeezed their legs into the sides of their horses and walked away to tie up Epona. I turned to the right and stared, my eyes losing focus. Over the high stone wall protecting the fortress I could make out the towering structure of the Spirit Temple, the dwelling site of my people's guardian.  
  
"The Temple is beautiful, even from this far away." A voice said behind me. I turned around and faced my faithful messenger.  
  
"Yes, Tula, it is."  
  
"Mistress, have you ever seen the Temple?"  
  
"No", I sighed, "but it must be a great privilege to be the leader. To be able to sing the melody of desert spirits, and be whisked away to the cavern of dreams. Nabooru tells of a great statue of the goddess who sleeps inside. She says it watches over all of the Colossus, from the sand around her to the reaches of Gerudo Valley." I shivered, as cold. It was an eerie thought. Tula sighed dreamily.  
  
"It has been every Gerudo's desire to talk with the spirits." A moment of silence passed between us. "But, I must leave you to your thoughts, Mistress", she continued, "they need me in the kitchens." Tula jumped from the fortress roof, landing neatly in a crouch position on the second story pathway, and disappeared into an entryway. I breathed in the hot, desert air and scanned around. Two figures were running into Gerudo Valley. I knew immediately who they were. I groaned inwardly as my thoughts ignited into a rage.  
  
"Mistress Saiyna!" Tula called from below. "We have one less prisoner in the barracks, and one more guard in the infirmary. We suspect Link, again."  
  
Only one more prisoner left, I thought frantically. If we lose that one, I will be shamed in front of all my people. Nabooru will disown me!  
  
"Tell the Gerudo to come to the roof once more, Tula, I have another announcement. Every Gerudo must come, except those in the infirmary and those guarding the last male!" I told her.  
  
"It is done." Tula said, running off. I paced around, putting the finishing details on the plan I had been brewing in my mind, when Gerudo began climbing to the top of the fortress. The crowd was full of emotion. I read anger on some, while most carried the expression of worry and fright. When they had all assembled, I spoke.  
  
"We must do something! We as Gerudo will be afraid to lift our faces to Nabooru when she returns if we lose that last prisoner!" Courage and determination sparked in the audience, some spiritedly nodding their heads.  
  
"This is what we will do. I myself will personally guard the cell. All able Gerudo, guards and messengers, will hide among the barracks, bows taught.  
  
When Link sees the fortress empty, he will surely take the opportunity to free the last prisoner. If he escapes my wrath, shoot your arrows precisely as he tries to leave. There is no way we can fail!"  
  
A round of strong applause and cheers went up as I finished my speech.  
  
Soon after, everything was set in place. My archers were silent, blending into the shadows perfectly. Even I couldn't see them hiding among the barracks of the fortress. I went inside, the cool, damp air enveloping me, and stood hidden in a hallway connected to the prison cell. Just as I had predicted, Link came in. He looked around the empty stone room.  
  
"Hey, kid, over here!" The prisoner said. Link walked to the man behind bars.  
  
"I believe I'm the only one left, am I right?"  
  
"Right", Link replied, "I freed the other three."  
  
"Thank you so much. Could you help me now? But be quiet, because there are Gerudo guards…all…over…the…place…" The man shifted his gaze and saw me eavesdropping from a corner. "WOO!!! Watch out!"  
  
Link whipped around, unsheathing his sword, as soon as I jumped into the room, brandishing my two curved blades. I eyed him, trying to size up his skill. He looked confident. I kept on my toes, circling around his wary stance. Suddenly, he leapt at me, making the first move. I saw his blade about to slash down vertically, but crossed my two swords and formed a shield. The sound of metal hitting metal rang loudly, echoing around the bricks of stone. I was forced to take a step back to keep my balance.  
  
"You're better than you look," I said quickly, "but not good enough for this!"  
  
I executed a back flip, landed on my feet, and jumped in Link's direction, twisting in mid-leap, both knives extended. It was the Gerudo's secret move, the Gerudo Tornado. If it hit, it would knock him unconscious. Somehow, by the power of Farore, Link saw it coming, and raised his shield. I was knocked back against the wall by the force of his block and found the point of his blade against my neck. Never moving the sword, he leaned forward and snatched the key off of my belt. He threw it over his head. I watched the glinting silver object fly through the bars of the cell wall, and the happy prisoner let himself out and walked up to Link.  
  
"Thank you for the practice, but I'll be leaving about now." Link said to me. He took a couple steps backwards. Before I had time to raise a knife, he threw a Deku Nut to the floor and disappeared along with the prisoner in a crack of smoke. All that was left was the key, lying on the ground.  
  
As I walked out of the fortress, many Gerudo rushed down to greet me.  
  
"Why are you alone? Where is Link?"  
  
"Deku Nut," was all I could say.  
  
"And the prisoner?" I shook my head in defeat. Faces around me fell.  
  
"We're in trouble," one Gerudo said sadly.  
  
"Not as much as our leader, Saiyna," said another, running to the crowd. I jerked my head up.  
  
"What do you mean?" a Gerudo gasped.  
  
"I mean Ugen has called Nabooru and ratted."  
  
"Oh, Nayru, Ugen would do that, wouldn't she?" the Gerudo said angrily.  
  
"Our exalted Nabooru will be here by nightfall."  
  
I had a sick feeling in my stomach; my mind was in a state of shock. I didn't even want to think about what would happen. I raised my head to the sky, and saw the blood red sun dipping below the horizon of whirling sand. Slowly and silently, Gerudo shuffled back inside, leaving me alone to my misery.  
  
After a very long and stressful day, night fell upon Gerudo Fortress. Everyone had fallen asleep inside the fortress. Everyone, that is, except me. I was sitting atop the rock, as I had done almost a moon ago, when I heard the hoofbeats. In the distance, I could make out the unmistakable shape of Nabooru riding on her midnight black steed. And even from that distance, I could see the  
  
moonlight reflecting off of cold, angry eyes. 


End file.
